PDA

Present progressive

View Full Version : Present progressive


Joystar1977
November 16, 2013, 06:53 PM
I do not understand this. At first, my teacher stated that this sentence was partially correct when I did a practice test:

Juan estoy eschuchando (escuchar) la música.

I tried the second time around and tried to get it fully correct and put down the following:

Juan lo qué estoy eschuchando la música.

My instructions are to put the present progressive form of verbs in parentheses:

Juan (escuchar) la música.

My test was marked incorrect with the second time around and the feedback given was as follows: "remember this form has two parts, first the form of the verb estar that goes with the subject "Juan", then add the appropriate -ing ending to escuchar."

The problem I have here is that there aren't any verbs in the present progressive form or any other tense to where it has an -ing ending.

For example. the present indicative form of escuchar in my verb book states the following:

escucho, escuchas, escucha, escuchamos, escucháis, escuchan

Can someone explain exactly what I am supposed to do here?

Julvenzor
November 16, 2013, 07:09 PM
It's easy, just think. ;)

The present progressive is formed by "estar" (conjugated) and a verb in gerund (-ando or -iendo). You conjugated the verb into first person, not third person.

Juan está escuchando música.

Cheers!

Rusty
November 16, 2013, 07:12 PM
The first sentence you wrote, removing the infinitive embedded in the parentheses, was almost correct and is your best attempt, so let's just focus on it.
The only thing you did wrong was use the wrong person when conjugating the auxiliary verb 'estar'. The subject is Juan. That's a third person. So, the verb 'estar' needs to be conjugated in the third person, not the first (which is what you wrote).

The present progressive form has two parts, as your teacher said - the auxiliary verb 'estar', plus the gerundio (English: present participle). The English present participle ends in '-ing'. The Spanish gerundio ends in '-ando', for '-AR' verbs, and it ends in '-iendo', for '-ER' and '-IR' verbs.

Have a look at a good verb chart (http://conjugator.reverso.net/conjugation-spanish-verb-escuchar.html) and you'll see the gerundio form listed (it is called the present participle in English). Some gerundios are irregular.

Joystar1977
November 16, 2013, 07:45 PM
Would I put the following sentence this way instead:

Juan está escuchando la música.

Is this the correct way for this sentence?

Juan está escuchando música.

Rusty
November 16, 2013, 07:47 PM
Both are correct sentences, but only one is correct according to the model you were given to work with. The model has a definite article prior to the last word. To get it right, the article needs to be copied into the answer.